On Killing Bill a Second Time
Published September 29, 2004
Our Robert Nagle has written a fine piece decrying the squandering of precious resources and viewer-time on filmic bloodbaths. In general I agree with him, and for me, screen violence - and certainly gore - have no inherent appeal unto themselves.
But I disagree with him about the merits of Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill 2, which he sees as a silly exercise in violent mediocrity - I think Kill Bill 2is great, on an entirely different level than the pure stylistic exercise of Kill Bill 1, which was about as relentlessly bloody as it gets - pure adrenaline debauchery.
And KB2 isn't a ripoff of its obvious choppy-socky, samurai honor-flick, and spaghetti-Western influences, but a summation and examination of their underlying meaning - do their values apply in the post-modern West? Can vengeance be justice? Is vengeance inherently degrading? Is there honor in "honor"?
In addition, the relatively infrequent (compared to KB1) and circumspect violence in 2, for me, had real weight and import - the opposite of the kinetic exploitation thrill-ride that was 1. For me KB1 was the first part of, "I can tell this story THIS way," and KB2 is "or I can tell it THAT way," and "THAT way" turns exploitation back on itself and finds humanity and meaning there.
KB2 is deeply character-driven, takes on Fate and Will with a clear eye and seriousness of purpose; and Uma Thurman - as the severely put-upon former hit-woman out to avenge the murder of her entire wedding party and attempted murder of herself - is nothing short of astonishing. David Carradine and Michael Madsen are almost equally fine. The long, slow scenes with Thurman and Carradine (as Bill) at the end are almost unbearable in their gentility and accumulating tension; then, finally, moving and poetic in the inevitable outcome.
I see KB2 as the fulfillment of Tarrantino's promise - as riveting and spirited, but far less glib than his previous high-point Pulp Fiction. KB2 had a real and lasting impact on me - it has penetrated my psyche with the force of myth.
KB2 isn't perfect, of course - Tarantino still can't resist the impulse toward too-clever-by-half dialogue, but here it is the exception rather than the rule. Above all, Tarantino et al have created something profound and oddly touching: there ARE better and worse ways to live, actions DO have consequences and karma is a bitch; the best stories have a logic of their own.
- On Killing Bill a Second Time
- Published: September 29, 2004
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- Section: Video
- Filed Under: Video: Suspense and Mystery, Video: Drama, Video: Action
- Writer: Eric Olsen
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that may be, but it worked very well as two completely separate methods of filmmaking and storytelling
Serendipity. Perhaps if I caught the film on late night TV in some hotel room, maybe I would have been more amenable to enjoying the film. I walked out during the final slow scenes (which looking back, perhaps I should have endured). You're right though; the sharp contrast with the fast pace of the rest of the movie is an interesting effect.
I found the ending very powerful and sincere.
And I'm nt sure because I did see KB1 first, but that could have made a big difference in my perception of the second, whch compared to the first was positively gentle.
My initial thoughts on splitting KB into two films was that it was pure marketing: Earn double the box office receipts that they would have had they released it as one film.
However... in retrospect the two halves are so different in tone that they *do* seem like two separate films.
Vic
I think it was good that they split them up. Because with both of them together, as is, it would be too long for your average movie going audience. So then you'd have to do a pretty good chop-job to get the length down. And that probably wouldn't feel right, either.
I think it wise to split them also, although obviously there is an overarching story like the three LOTR movies
The series in itself was brilliant to me. I agree also that splitting them up was the best thing to do even though I was somewhat annoyed at having to wait.
In film one I found myself getting wrapped up in the gore. When I left it hit me that the point is how far will you go to get what you want or to get it back?
At the end of the second film my entire perception had changed I found myself loving these heinous characters. I referred back to KB1 and Lucy Lui's character as most of her characters are was sensible and intelligent but ruthless. The Bride was wanted to be normal but she was so far removed from it, it just wasn't possible. I wanted her to forgive Bill and they raise little Lu Lu together.
I repeat: I wanted the killer called The Bride to forgive the man who had her shot and then shot her in the face and kidnapped their child to become a nice little family. For me that was the best part.
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I don't think it is fair to compare Kill Bill Volume 1 to Kill Bill Volume 2.
After all, this was ONE film: Kill Bill, that the studio split up into two films.
The only fair way to judge it is as one piece of work. (Apparently there will be a complete Kill Bill DVD coming out in which you can watch Kill Bill the way it was supposed to be before the studio interfered).